Hello, this is my build how I play Malphite, I am pretty good as him, but i want to point out that this is MY playing style and that it works for me, I am pretty agressive which doesn't work for everyone.

People it is very important to read everything, i don't always use the same items and neither should you, not every game is the same!

Video material is coming up (just as soon as i figure out how it works -.-)

There is a world of perfect harmony, where all are part of the whole. The Monolith is the essence of all creation, and its denizens are but singular pieces of it. It is beautiful in its symmetry, and in its almost complete lack of uncertainty. The rocky beings that live there know their place and work to fulfill their duties to the fullest extent, functioning almost as a superorganism or hive. Malphite has always strived to live up to his full potential, as his own personal part of the whole, serving the role of a distinguished creature questing to enforce his people's flawless vision of order.

One day, without warning, a dimensional rift opened, and he was summoned across the cosmos to the world of Runeterra. The transition was painful and terrifying for him, as he was cut off from the song of his people and the Monolith - things that had been ever-present in him since the day he was born. He raged, trapped in the Summoning Circle, as those who had called him made their plea. Runeterra was a world that had nearly been consumed by its disharmony. It was a world that needed champions to bring order out of chaos. It was to that end that the rock-creature was summoned, so that he could aid them in this quest. Looking past his own fear and apprehension, Malphite could see that this was a respectable goal, and one in which he could participate - perhaps uniquely so. Today, as part of the League of Legends, he hammers those who would seek to upset Valoran's movement toward order, especially turning his attention to those that wield chaotic magic. Unfortunately, Malphite has also begun to change, as he has been forced to face his own profound loneliness among the world's vibrant individuality.

Beware, minions of chaos! The Shard of the Monolith has come.

First I am going to explain WHY i took these runes, ofcourse you can change these, but these work for me, and they work just fine.

Why do we take magic penetration, this is a tanking Malphite build isen't it? Yes that is true, it is to give your damage that little build, but think about it, you do damamge so get kills/last hits on minions, you get money (=items), who's doesn't like a tank with much items?

you take seals of resilience because of the armor, it reduces physical damage and even boosts the damage of your Ground Slam

This is just for the magic resistant, if I am thinking well it should reduce the magical damage for about 40% (not thinking about the enemy magic penetration)

This is for the health, tanks love health

I think the masteries explain themselves, except maybe for the 9 in offence, why do I do this? well for the extra (tiny) damage boost, you might be tank, doing some damage is still quite useful.

there are 3 choices that I prefer:
- I take these boots almost always, because you need the speed to get into range (for both your q and your ulti), non-defensive boots are ok since the other items are very defensive

- If the other team is swarming with AD's (atleast 4/5) and they are epic, i take these, just for the dodge which synchornizes well with Nimbleness and for the nice armor boost

- For those annoying AP/CC heavy teams

I am NOT a huge fan of the following options but yes they are possible, the above boots are just better especially for tanking:
- This makes you fast, fast indeed, the point is, you loose the max speed boost when you get hit. YOU ARE TANK, you should get hit. But yes you get to places faster indeed.

- It's reduces your cooldowns, but I think they are fairly low enough for TANKING, agreed this is useful when making an AP Malphite but this is a tanking build.

- It gives you damage, yes, it is possible but omg this is a tank build, don't try to get any more damage out of the items. The boots cost 1100 gold which could be spend better on tank items.

- It gives you the extra mana, yes it is useful, although i rarely get it, it also messes up the melees trying to attack you they'll be hitting 20% slower (max attack speed = 2hits/attack, instead of two hits it makes 1.6 hits), also it reduces your ability cooldowns by another 20%

- This item has the highest armor value in the game, Personnaly I take this item 90% of the time, the health is useful, the armor even better, and look at the nice passive and even the active.

- This item is just great for farming (which you will need early game), it also gives you armor and health

- IN YOUR FACE Master Yi, Tryndamere, Xin Zhao, etc. this item makes auto-attackers kill themselves.

- It has MR, health and mana, this item is awesome (for pretty much every character), this item also blocks 1 spell each 10 seconds, imagine yourself escaping some raging Vayne, then you notice OMG they have a Karthus, then the pain of LoL Requiem is being cast, just as you are about to get hit, you're Banshee's Veil pops back up and you are safe.

- Lots of MR, and nice healing regeneration

- lots of MR to and a very annoying active for character like Warwick, Karhus (yea you're right I hate him), Malzahar, etc. If you get this item, you might wanna put it in the first slot of your bag, then you can simply press "1" above your "q"

- This item is a pain if tanks get them, enemy yelling YAAAAAAAAAAY we finally got him, then realising ow **** he has Angel, with some luck you can escape.

- This one gives you loads of hp, if you get this item i suggest you take it early game, (after Sunfire Aegis) so you can farm up gold AND health

starter item is always

- Regular build against balanced teams:


- AD-heavy teams:


-AP-heavy teams:

I play rather aggresive, you have to find out your own style, anyway I am going to give some hints on how I control Malphite.

Before level 6:
- You have your Q, you should use it! Toss around those annoying things, If you have a strong damaging laning partner you might even get a kill because of the slow.
- Use your Brutal Strikes to deal extra damage and to get armor if you run away (it's not much, but it is something)
- Use Ground Slam to last hit minions if you can

Mid-game/late-game:
- Ultimate is NOT on cooldown
* Bassicly, you pick out a squishy target like... Let's say... Karthus you jump on top of him with your ulti, slap him with your Shard to slow him (by now your team is going all out), when he hits the ground you are able to do Ground Slam, the rest of the damage is done by your team
- Ultimate IS on cooldown
* You can use Flash to get in range, throw a shard, and let the rest show up itself

Important when playing Malphite: unless you are fed DO NOT take on major damage dealing champions on by yourself (like Vayne)

Malphite is mana hungry in both early- and late game. I've tried it multiple times and when you play as aggresive as I do your mana will be down shortly (10 seconds CD left) before you can cast Clarity

for the regular reasons, escaping and gaining on target.

Trivia

-When Malphite punches the ground with his Ground Slam Ground Slam attack, he leaves a glowing fist imprint of the Riot Games logo.
-Malphite is one of a few champions that actually have multiple textures in one skin. When his Granite Shield Granite Shield passive is broken, he appears as though he is made of molten rock until the passive recharges and then reverts back to his normal texture. When Malphite activates Brutal Strikes Brutal Strikes he has a different type of molten rock texture with glowing arms.
-Malphite was the second elemental champion introduced to League of Legends. Others include: AniviaSquare.png Anivia, MaokaiSquare.png Maokai, and BrandSquare.png Brand.
-Malphite's original cost was 3150 IpPoints.png. It was lowered to 1350 IpPoints.png on April 12th, 2011.

Quotes

-When Malphite uses his /taunt, he strikes a pose uncannily similar to a cactuar from the Final Fantasy series.
-His /joke is the old saying "Caught between a rock and a hard place", which basically means you are in a position where you have to choose between unpleasant alternatives, neither of which is an optimal situation.
(source: http://leagueoflegends.wikia.com/wiki/Malphite_The_Shard_of_the_Monolith/SkinsTrivia)

Please, I WILL accept every decent criticism, but only if you can tell what i do wrong. Votes saying: dude why not take Warmog's Armor will not be tolerated as it is in the guide.

PLEASE READ THE GUIDE BEFORE VOTING

yes I do have other guides, (Brand guide has 4 troll votes)

please rate up all of them if you like them:
- Udyr build: http://www.mobafire.com/league-of-legends/build/clawing-through-79949
- Brand build http://www.mobafire.com/league-of-legends/build/brand-you-got-a-light-74206

28/06/2011: guide released
29/06/2011: -Changed masteries (removed Ardor , added Harden Skin and Defensive Mastery ) thank you Psiguard
-Removed minor typo's
-Also added why you COULD take Sorcerer's Shoes but why I am not a fan of it thank you stinglock, check out his Gangplank and Yorick guides